Been a good growing year for crabapples....what is this one?

[rocksnstumps]

When I planted trees some years back, they were freebies from the local chapter of nwtf and were labeled either red splendor or sargent, that's it. Well there are at least 4 different varieties growing so that leaves a couple not really sure what they are. This one tends to hang on the tree well into winter most years if birds leave them alone. Has pink blossums in the spring, but the fruit is bigger than a description of a typical red splendor. Fruit is always a little pink inside. So what might they be?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Whatever it is - it's a beaut. !! Worth grafting some scion from that tree for sure.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Sargent has white blossoms so that rules it out. Is it a grafted tree? If not and it is a seedling that would explain the slight variances otherwise. Quite a few red fleshed apples.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I have two trees like this, the rest are more "red splendor like". These trees came from some nursery in Michigan, but my buddy who was part of the habitat committee can't remember which one.

 

[Rally1148]

Sargent has white blossoms so that rules it out. Is it a grafted tree? If not and it is a seedling that would explain the slight variances otherwise. Quite a few red fleshed apples.

I've never seen a sargent with fruit that big!

 

[greyphase]

That's a heck of a nice looking crabapple. I'd be grafting scion from that one for sure.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Do the leaves on that tree always look that healthy? Disease issues in the past? If not I would likely be interested in a couple scions as well!:)

 

[rocksnstumps]

Haven't paid all that much attention over the years other than seeing it has fruit every year. Maybe had some yellowish leaves one year. As for the scion thing, guess I'd have to google to see what you are even talking about. That said, open to helping others out.....

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Having learned this myself - scion is the portion of a shoot that is last year's new growth. There is usually a " knuckle " or wrinkled collar of sorts that marks the border of last year's growth from the year before. Look for good scion wood on the sunny side of the tree and also at water sprouts ( the straight - up vertical growth that occurs on the top side of horizontal limbs, or near last year's pruning cuts ). The scion is cut just above the " knuckle " so you only have last year's growth. This scion wood can then be grafted onto rootstock to produce a tree just like the tree the scion wood came from.

Guys on this forum trade scion wood by mailing it to each other and basically " cloning " those same trees. Cloning is probably not the exact correct term, but you see the idea. The only way to re-produce a type of tree you want is by grafting ( in some fashion ). Some guys do " t-budding " which I know nothing about. But the point is - if you want a Granny Smith apple - you don't plant a Granny Smith seed. You graft Granny Smith scion onto a rootstock, such as a MM-111 or B-118.

You-Tube has some good videos on cutting scion wood and grafting. You might try typing " Harvesting apple scion wood " into your search bar and clicking search. I don't have any links at hand at the moment, but that should get you to some good ones.

 

[Turkey Creek]

BowsnBucks pretty well summed it up. Scion wood is collected in late winter while the tree is dormant. Kept in a plastic bag with a damp papertowel in your fridge until used. Dont expose it to ethylene gas, which is produced by fruits and vegetables as it harms the buds.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Thanks TC, for cleaning up my post. I forgot to say you harvest the scion in late winter - dormant season !!! AND how to store them !!! Could be .... Rocksnstumps may just catch this fruit tree/grafting bug !!! Another one bites the dust.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Well, guess my memory on drop time is a little off on these. Noticed they have been dropping some now, well before winter. But all the same the deer like snarfing them up as only a few on the ground and grass is all matted down.






This one is right at 1-3/8" in size. Might have to remember to try one next time. I know I tried one a few years ago and was not impressed but might have been a little early to sample. Critters don't seem to care though.

 

[Freeborn]

It looks like a red splendid crabapple. Here is a 4 year old tree on my sandy soil. My tree is not nearly as big or nice as yours but the leaves look similar and so does the apples. I hope mine get as big as yours.

 

[Freeborn]

It looks like a red splendid crabapple. Here is a 4 year old tree on my sandy soil. My tree is not nearly as big or nice as yours but the leaves look similar and so does the apples. I hope mine get as big as yours.

Maybe not, it's hard to see your leaves to compare to mine.

 

[sandbur]

FB my Red Splendor is much smaller in crab size-less than 1/2 inch.

Were you referring to the Red splendor flowering crab or is this a different type of crab?

 

[Freeborn]

FB my Red Splendor is much smaller in crab size-less than 1/2 inch.

Were you referring to the Red splendor flowering crab or is this a different type of crab?

Mine is a red splendor. Part of a large planting as part of a CRP planting. Most of my red splendor provide a small crab apple. I just noticed this larger one this year. I need to see if I have any other Red splendor that have larger apples.

 

[sandbur]

Mine is a red splendor. Part of a large planting as part of a CRP planting. Most of my red splendor provide a small crab apple. I just noticed this larger one this year. I need to see if I have any other Red splendor that have larger apples.

Maybe try one of those larger red splendor and let me know how they taste.
I suspect they will be red fleshed like the smaller RS. It would add color and maybe flavor to apple sauce or cider if I ever get around to trying to make some.

 

[Freeborn]

Maybe try one of those larger red splendor and let me know how they taste.
I suspect they will be red fleshed like the smaller RS. It would add color and maybe flavor to apple sauce or cider if I ever get around to trying to make some.

I'll do that. I won't be there for a couple weeks but will see what I get.